


dark corners

by piggeh



Category: Enderal (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Fighting, Minor Character Death, Racism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-30
Updated: 2019-05-30
Packaged: 2020-03-29 17:27:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19024549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/piggeh/pseuds/piggeh
Summary: I looked up at the crowd and noticed a shadow in the dark corner staring at me. I couldn't make out what he was wearing, but his violet eyes were harsh. It was as if he was staring right through me.He eventually pushed off the wall and left without a glance. I shuddered.There was something about those eyes that I knew it wouldn't be the last time I saw them.





	dark corners

"And here we are, Ark. The glorious city capital of Enderal." Jespar looked back at me. "I have some things to do, so feel free to explore the city. We'll meet up at the Marketplace in the morning. Farewell, my fair lady." 

 

He bowed and walked away. I watched as he walked away in a confident stride towards a giant door with a sign that said 'Foreign Quarter'. My face twisted up in pain as the headache made another blow. The pain was almost debilitating, but I pushed through the pain as I walked towards the Marketplace. It was quiet, as all stall owners had seemingly left for the day. There were faint echos of owls hooting and pigs grunting in the distance. For a giant capital, it sure is fucking quiet here. A lady strolled past me, a look of disgust plastered on her face. She paused mid-step and turned towards me, looking me up and down. I glared at her and she sneered, walking away. "Go back to where you came from, coal person!"

 

I'm no stranger to racism, as Qyra certainly brought some Endraleans that weren't too keen on our people. For whatever reason, they saw us as dirt, even though they were in  _our_ country. Fucking entitled assholes in a place where they don't belong. Alas, racist remarks barely affect me anymore. Even though I'd love to knock this woman's lights out, my headache is far too bad to even think of raising a dagger. 

 

A woman was bent over an alchemy table, grinding herbs into nothing. I walked over to her and she glanced at me. "Something you need, mydame?"

 

"I..uh. I'm suffering from Arctic Fever and I need help." I slightly leaned against the wall to help keep my balance. The woman looked at me with pity in her eyes, but stood up from the table. She nervously looked around.

 

" _Arcanist's_ fever you mean? It's a bitch to deal with, but the best I could suggest would be the House of the Apothecarii in the Undercity. But...do be careful. The Undercity's a rough area, but you look like you need immediate treatment, and I don't have any ambrosia with me, so it's your best bet, sorry. Walk blessed." The woman spoke rushed and hurriedly walked away and into a house, which I assume has the ingredients needed for whatever ambrosia is. Bitch.

 

I sighed, fully leaning against the wall now. I looked towards the sky, the stars shining and the moon glowing as always. 

 

Sirius, guide me.

 

\---

The Undercity is...interesting, to say the least. I almost got mugged by two bandits and have been asked to spare pennys by countless beggars in the span of twenty minutes. Thankfully, I had refuge in one of the 'inns' in the Marketplace, so the beggars strayed away due to no money. I also learned from an innkeeper that the city is controlled by the Rhalâta, and that I could participate in pit fights in the Dust Pit, which doesn't seem like a bad idea. Though he discouraged me from it, since it was just a death sentence. The innkeeper also pointed me towards the House, where the man there was unfriendly and unhelpful. A bastard just trying to take my money, really. I paid him for the temporary treatment and left. At least the headaches gone, for now.

 

Despite all warnings from the innkeeper, I found myself in front of the Dust Pit, staring at the door. A boxer was behind me, grunting and punching the air. A cloaked man stood next to the door, staring down at me. "Know your place, sunchild." I rolled my eyes and pushed through the door, shoulder-checking the man in the process. Oops.

 

Dozens of citizens were huddled around a cage, cheering loudly while others were swinging their swords at dummies. A woman was sat on top of a crate, writing furiously in a notebook. There must be the woman who runs this whole thing. 

 

I walked up to her and cleared my throat. She looked me up and down and said "What?"

 

"How do I get into these pit fights?" I asked coldly. She raised an eyebrow and huffed. "You wanna be in one of these fights? You ain't exactly the biggest thing girl, it'd be an easy win for these fighters. Go look for work somewhere else." 

 

"I can handle myself, fuck you!" I spat. The lady laughed.

 

"Alright, spitfire, sure thing. Name's Rasha, sign this contract with your name if you know how to write, or a cross, and I'll have you in the next fight in a couple of hours." I ripped the paper out of her hands and signed my name, and handed it back at her. She looked over the paper and set it down next to her. "The fighters down here go by a name for the crowd, so what do you wanna be called?"

 

I paused for a moment. A name? The fuck does it matter what I'm called? I'm just looking to fight and get money. 

 

"Does it matter what I'm called? I wanna fight. I don't care what they call me."

 

"Alright then, Nameless One it is. The fight will be a free-for-all, four of you. Last one standing wins, really. You can go down to the pit and practice till the fight starts. Good luck." Rasha waved a hand dismissively and I walked down the stairs to the arena. The recent fight had just ended, so the arena was cleared except for the upcoming fighters. Two men and a woman. One man had a bow, the other was a big guy with a battleaxe, and the woman looked scared shitless. Maybe she was a newcomer too.

 

The man with the battleaxe was staring hard at me, clearly trying to intimidate me. I looked at the man with the bow, who was sharpening his arrows. He glared at me and I looked away. The arena was dimly lit and compact. Blood stained the walls and ground beneath me, and skulls were lying in the corners. This place has definitely been running for a while. I looked up to the audience, who were whispering and pointing towards me. I guess they weren't expecting a newcomer, especially a short, Qyranian. 

 

Just warm up and get ready, Qara. Ignore them. You need to win this.

 

After a few hours, the announcer introduced the fighters, Simael Roth, Kana Tannerdaughter, and Tamas Sha'Gar, and called the fight on. It was a fucking frenzy. The man with the bow was the first target of the big man, and he had no problems cleaving through him. The woman charged at me, and I laughed as she completely missed her hit. It was like this was her first time with a sword and it was too heavy for her. I quickly rolled out of her sight and snuck up behind her, slashing her leg. She cried out and waved her sword at me, scraping my cheek. I winced in pain as she fell back onto the ground. That'll leave a fucking scar now.

 

I jumped back and watched as she struggled to get on her feet, clearly out of breath. She let out a yell and charged again, missing again this time but our bodies collided and we both fell down. She swung her sword at me, but I blocked it with my dagger, and used my other dagger to stab her thigh. She howled in pain, and I looked up to the big man running at us. "Shit!" I yelled. 

 

I jumped up to my feet and just barely missed the big man's battleaxe swinging down at me. I watched as the woman screamed as his battleaxe lodged in her head, the man laughing with pure joy. He's a fucking psychopath! I rushed to him and swung my dagger, but he was able to block it and throw me back. I fell onto the ground hard, my ears ringing from the impact. I rolled away from his swing, and stabbed his foot. He grunted and tried to pull the dagger out, but I stuck my dagger in his head before he could move out of the way. He fell over with a loud thud and landed on the dagger, pushing it further into his skull. I stared at the sight as the crowd was roaring with cheers. I stood shakily and pushed his body over, grabbing my dagger. It sloshed out of his head and I grabbed the other one. I looked up at the crowd and noticed a shadow in the dark corner staring at me. I couldn't make out what he was wearing, but his violet eyes were harsh. It was as if he was staring right through me.

 

He eventually pushed off the wall and left without a glance. I shuddered.

 

There was something about those eyes that I knew it wouldn't be the last time I saw them.

**Author's Note:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaand there's the first sign of a character that I fell in love with, coming into the story!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


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